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(No Model.)

G. 1?. PREEDMAN.

FEATHERING PADDLE'WHEEL. No. 253,277. Patented Feb. 7,1882.

INVENTOB ATTORNEY N. PETERS. Phuhwulhognphor. Wnlhingtun. D. c.

NITED STATES PATENT O FICE.

GEORGE E. FREEDMAN, OF NEW YORK, NpY.

FEATHERING PADDLE-WHEEL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 253,277, dated February 7, 1882,

Application filed December 23, 1881. (N0 model.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, GEORGE F. FREEDMAN, of the city of New York, in the county and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Feathering Paddle-Wheels, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has reference to an improvement in paddle-wheels of that class in which the paddles are always retained in perpendicular position, so as to enter the water with the least possible resistance; and the invention consists of apaddle-wheel the paddles of which are kept in a vertical position throughout the rotation of the wheel-frame by means of a motion-transmitting mechanism, arranged at the circumference of the wheelframe, and operated byradial transmitting mechanism actuated by a stationary driving mechanism on the shaftbearing. 1

In the accompanying drawings, Figurel represents a side elevation of my improved paddle-wheel, and Fig. 2 an end view of the same.

Similar letters of reference indicate corre spondin g parts.

In the drawings, A represents the frame of my improved paddle-wheel, which consists of a number of spider-frames. The paddles B are supported by pivots in bearings of the spider-frames, they being preferably divided into two sections by means of an intermediate spider-frame, A, as shown clearly in Fig. 2, in which the shafts of the paddles are also supported in suitable bearings. The paddles B are retained in perpendicular position throughout the rotation of the wheel-frame by means of a circumferential chain, 0, which passes around sprocket-wheels d on the ends of the pivots of all the paddles B, the chain being passed around each sprocket-Wheel d, as shown on the left side of Fig. 2, or simply made to engage the exterior teeth of the sprocket-wheels, as shown on the right side ofFig. 2. The chain 0 receivesits motion from two auxiliary sprocket-wheels, O, keyed to the pivots of diametrically-opposite paddles outside of the wheelframe A, which sprocket-wheels are engaged by endless radial chains D, that are passed over a stationary sprocket-wheel, D, attached to the bearing of the shaft of the paddle-wheel, as shown in Fig. 2.

It is obvious that in place of the sprocketwheels and chains gear-wheels or other equivalent transmitting mechanisms may be used, whereby, by the rotary motion of the wheelframe and the simultaneous operation of the radial and circumferential transmitting mechanisms, the vertical position of the paddles is maintained. The moment the paddle-wheel receives rotary motion from the driving-shaft the radial and circumferential chains are set in motion, and the paddles thereby retained in vertical position parallel to each other, so that they enter the water without any loss of power caused by the resistance and lifting motion of the water exerted thereon.

Having thus described myinvcntion, Iclaim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- A paddle-wheel consisting of a revolving wheel-frame having a number of paddles pivoted to bearings at the circumference of the frame, of a circumferential transmitting-chain engaging sprocket-wheels on the pivots of the paddles, and of endless radial transmittingchains en gaging sprocket-wheels upon the pivots of one or more paddles, and being actuated by a stationary sprocket-wheel affixed to the bearingot'thepaddle-wheelshaft,substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention .I have signed my name in presence oftwo subscribing witnesses.

' GEORGE F. FREEDMAN.

Witnesses:

PAUL GoEPEL, CARL KARP. 

